The present invention relates generally to a cable support apparatus and, more particularly, to a cable support apparatus disposed entirely within a frame apparatus for receiving and supporting cable extended from an adjacent frame apparatus.
Racks for supporting a wide variety of objects have been well known for decades. More recently, the advent of technological advances in audio and video equipment and in computer equipment has effected corresponding advances in the structures used to support and retain such electrical components. For example, as the size of such components has dropped, the number of components supported on a particular rack has increased, resulting in a greater number of external connections. In addition, the demand for interconnectivity between systems, and particularly the demand for server equipment utilized to provide this interconnectivity, has increased the amount of physical connections that must be made between the equipment stored on one rack and that stored in other racks, either adjacently or remotely. As a result, in addition to being able to store equipment itself, each rack must also be able to support and manage tremendous amounts of cables and wires which are connected to or routed through that rack.
With regard to horizontal or lateral runs of cables, the most common systems traditionally employed to support cables have been overhead cabling systems and under-floor cabling systems. Overhead cabling systems typically employ exposed overhead raceway structures to route cables to and from the tops of the various racks in an installation. Under-floor cabling systems are typically installed underneath raised floors in the installation area. Though both are effective in many applications, they each suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, the negative aesthetic effect of the exposed nature of overhead raceways may not be acceptable in a particular installation. Moreover, in some installation locations there may not be adequate ceiling clearance for overhead raceway to be installed. Under-floor systems may address the aesthetic issues, but are likely not always feasible because of space requirements or in pre-existing installations. Each type of system also entails a significant expense to both purchase and install the raceway system or raised floor, respectively.
When racks are positioned adjacent to each other in a particular installation, one solution to the aforementioned problems has been to extend a standard section of ladder raceway directly through adjacent racks. Cables may then be supported by the raceway and routed to appropriate locations within each rack, and the internal nature of the raceways addresses the aesthetic issues. However, such a system also suffers from many drawbacks. For example, standard ladder raceways come in standard lengths which do not correspond to the great number of size permutations resulting from different-sized racks and combinations of racks. Although ladder raceways could be precut to particular lengths, there is no standard for the external dimensions of racks, and thus the number of different lengths that could be required is prohibitive. Finally, the placement of the cross-members of the ladder raceways may interfere with routing a cable in a particular location by blocking a particular path, by failing to provide support for a cable in a particular location and thus allowing the cable to dangle, or by interfering with the bending of a cable to meet certain minimum radius requirements which thus prevents conformance to standards on cable radius bends and therefore creates a risk of reduced transmission speeds. Thus, a need exists for an aesthetically-acceptable cable support apparatus for conveniently supporting cables which extend between adjacent racks without requiring custom manufacture or installation and which does not interfere with the routing of the cables within the interiors of the racks.
Briefly summarized, the present invention includes a cable support apparatus for supporting cable in an equipment support system having a frame apparatus, the cable support apparatus including a shelf member having distal ends, first and second opposing sides, a generally planar top surface for supporting a cable, a bottom surface and a plurality of ventilation openings extending vertically through the top and bottom surfaces; at least one mounting bracket extending orthogonally from each distal end of the shelf member for mounting the cable support apparatus to the frame apparatus; a retention flange extending generally vertically from the top surface of the shelf member longitudinally along the first side of the shelf member for retaining cables on the top surface of the shelf member; and a support rail extending generally vertically from the bottom surface of the shelf member longitudinally along the second side of the shelf member for structurally reinforcing the shelf member.
In features of this apparatus, the apparatus includes a bend member extending away from at least one distal end of the planar shelf member; and the apparatus includes at least one spool extending generally vertically from the top surface of the shelf member.
The present invention also includes a cable support apparatus for supporting cables in an equipment support system including a planar shelf member having distal ends, a top surface for supporting a cable and a bottom surface; at least one mounting bracket extending orthogonally from each distal end of the shelf member for mounting the cable support apparatus to the frame apparatus, wherein each mounting bracket has an upper edge; and a bend member extending over the upper edge of one of the mounting brackets at one distal end of the shelf member, wherein the bend member intersects the top surface of the shelf member along a line of intersection disposed substantially inward from the distal end of the shelf member, wherein the bend member is upwardly tapered from the line of intersection to a line of apogee disposed above the top surface of the shelf member and inward from the distal end of the shelf member, and wherein the bend member is generally downwardly curved from the line of apogee over the upper edge of the mounting bracket to a line of verticality, the line of verticality being defined as the line at which the slope of the bend member is substantially vertical.
In features of this apparatus: the mounting brackets extend orthogonally downward from the bottom surface of the shelf member; the curvature of the bend member is substantially uniform from the line of apogee to the line of verticality; a radius is defined at each point along the bend member by the curvature of the bend member at each respective point, and wherein each such defined radius of curvature is at least as great as a predefined minimum radius of curvature; the predefined minimum radius of curvature corresponds to a minimum radius of cable curvature required to ensure reliable operation of the cable; and the apparatus includes at least one spool extending generally vertically from the top surface of the shelf member.
The present invention also includes an equipment support system including a frame apparatus having a plurality of horizontal frame members and a plurality of vertical frame members, each of which has interior and exterior surfaces, and wherein the external surfaces collectively define a frame periphery; two horizontal mounting rails connected to the vertical frame members of the frame apparatus; a cable support apparatus including a shelf member and two mounting brackets extending downwardly from distal ends of the shelf member, wherein the mounting brackets are mounted to respective horizontal mounting rails, wherein the cable support apparatus has two distal edges, and wherein the cable support apparatus is disposed wholly within the frame periphery; and at least one vertical cable channel, defined as the vertical space formed between one of the distal edges of the cable support apparatus and the interior surfaces of the vertical frame members, for routing cables vertically within the periphery of the frame.
In features of this system: the shelf is horizontally adjustable along the horizontal mounting rails; each horizontal mounting rail includes a T-groove, each mounting bracket includes a pair of forked ends, and a respective fastener may be inserted through each forked end and into the T-groove in a horizontal mounting rail; the cable support apparatus further includes a curvilinear bend member extending downward over one of the mounting brackets; and the system includes at least one cable lying longitudinally along the cable support apparatus and extending laterally from the frame periphery at a point generally adjacent to a distal edge of the cable support apparatus.
The present invention also includes a multi-frame equipment support system including: a first frame apparatus having a plurality of horizontal frame members and a plurality of vertical frame members, each of which has interior and exterior surfaces, and wherein the external surfaces of the frame members collectively define a first frame periphery; a second frame apparatus disposed substantially adjacent to the first frame apparatus, the second frame apparatus including a plurality of horizontal frame members and a plurality of vertical frame members, each of which has interior and exterior surfaces, and wherein the external surfaces of the frame members collectively define a second frame periphery; a first elongated cable support apparatus having first and second distal ends mounted entirely within the first frame periphery at right angles to the vertical frame members of the first frame apparatus at a first predetermined height, wherein the first elongated cable support apparatus extends toward the second frame apparatus and wherein the second distal end is disposed generally adjacent to the second frame apparatus; and a second elongated cable support apparatus having first and second distal ends mounted entirely within the second frame periphery at right angles to the vertical frame members of the second frame apparatus at a second predetermined height, wherein the second predetermined height is substantially the same as the first predetermined height, wherein the second elongated cable support apparatus extends toward the first frame apparatus and wherein the first distal end of the second elongated cable support apparatus is disposed generally adjacent to the first frame apparatus and is aligned with the second distal end of the first elongated cable support apparatus.
In features of this system, the system includes a first pair of horizontal mounting rails connected to the vertical frame members of the first frame apparatus wherein the first elongated cable support apparatus is mounted to the first horizontal mounting rails; the first elongated cable support apparatus includes a first shelf member and two mounting brackets extending orthogonally from ends of the first shelf member and the mounting brackets are mounted to respective first horizontal mounting rails; the system includes at least one vertical cable channel, defined as the vertical space formed between one of the distal ends of the first elongated cable support apparatus and the interior surfaces of the vertical frame members of the first frame apparatus, for routing cables vertically within the first frame periphery; the vertical cable channel is formed between the second distal end of the first elongated cable support apparatus and the interior surfaces of the vertical frame members proximate to the second frame apparatus; and the system includes a second vertical cable channel, defined as the vertical space formed between the first distal end of the second elongated cable support apparatus and the interior surfaces of the vertical frame members of the second frame apparatus, for routing cables vertically within the second frame periphery.
The present invention also includes a method for supporting a cable, having at least a first cable segment and a second cable segment, in an equipment support system having a frame apparatus which defines a frame interior, including the steps of: mounting a cable support apparatus having opposite ends wholly within the interior of the frame at a first predetermined height; supporting the first cable segment outside the periphery of the frame at a second predetermined height which is substantially equal to the first predetermined height; directing the cable from outside the interior of the frame at the second predetermined height into the interior of the frame; and supporting the second cable segment on the cable support apparatus.
In a feature of this method, the method includes mounting a pair of horizontal mounting rails to the frame apparatus, wherein the step of mounting the cable support apparatus includes mounting the cable support apparatus to the horizontal mounting rails.